Does invisible light (infra-red), or visible light go fastest?
What color of light goes the fastest? They are different wavelengths, so they have different energies & therefore masses, so the speed has to be different, right?
Does light travel faster when it is separated, or when it is combined into a white light?
Does laser light travel faster than regular light since it is more focused and delivers more energy in less space?
2007-02-14 21:21:32 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
All electromagnetic waves have the same speed.... usually called "c" (the same of E=mc^2).
Different kinds of waves have different frequencies and different wavelengths, but the same speed, in fact wavelength=light-speed/frequency
Light-speed changes only if light travel in different materials.(empty, air, water, glass, diamond, etc,etc...)
2007-02-14 23:19:10 · answer #1 · answered by sparviero 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are totally confused about energy and velocity in this case since light is not a particle but is a wave as far as this aspect is concerned. I will reply each point separately.
Q. Does invisible light (infra-red), or visible light go fastest?
A. No. they travel at the same velocity.
Q. What color of light goes the fastest? They are different wavelengths, so they have different energies & therefore masses, so the speed has to be different, right?
A. All electromagentic radiation travels at the same speed (velocity). the energy of a photon is higher, the higher the frequency but it cannot be equated with mass and kinetic energy equations.
Q. Does light travel faster when it is separated, or when it is combined into a white light?
A. Dispersion of light doesn't change the speed. The paths become different and so the time taken will vary.
Q. Does laser light travel faster than regular light since it is more focused and delivers more energy in less space?
A. No, there is no difference in the speed for laser or ordinary light. The focussing comes from coherence, i.e. all the waves are synchronously coupled leading to a great increase in amplitude of the wave and thus its intensity. So, higher energy density is obtained.
You should keep aside the corpuscular theory of Newton about light being particulate radiation and use the Huygens wave theory. Quantum theory of course synthesises both and is the right one to use if you can understand it.
2007-02-15 05:35:11 · answer #2 · answered by Swamy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
All travel at the same speed. No exceptions.
2007-02-15 05:27:24 · answer #3 · answered by ZORCH 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
they travel in same speed
2007-02-15 05:32:08 · answer #4 · answered by monalisa three 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They all travel at "C" there are no exceptions.
2007-02-15 09:51:13 · answer #5 · answered by Billy Butthead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think white or light blue
2007-02-15 05:25:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋